A Guide to Performing Extended Techniques: modern flute techniques demonstrated

through George Crumb's 'Vox Balaenae’

Digital Handout

I. General Extended Techniques II. Extended Techniques found in V ox Balaenae

Example 1: Key Clicks Example 4: Glissando

Example 2: Tongue Rams Example 5: Harmonics

Example 3: Jet Whistle Example 6: Flutter Tongue

(II. Cont.)

Example 7: Singing while Playing (“Sing-Flute”)

7a : Singing and playing the same notes

7b : Singing one note while playing different notes

7c: Playing one note while singing different notes

III. Examples from V ox Balaenae

Example 8: Vocalise from V ox Balaenae

Yellow = Singing and playing together Blue = Playing into the flute with a closed embouchure hole Example 9:

Example 10: Example 11:

11a. 11b.

11c. 11d. 11e.

Example 12:

Example 13: Example 14:

Resources for further study

The Other Flute: A Performance Manual of Contemporary Techniques by Robert Dick Tone Development Through Extended Techniques: Flute Etudes and Instruction by Robert Dick For the Contemporary Flutist by Wil Offermans Flouble by Gergely Ittzes Tone Colors by Rojier Pijper Present Day Flutes by Pierre by Yves Artaud

Vox Balaenae Analysis Chart VOCALISE

p. 6-p. 7 1s t system (middle) p. 7 1s t system-2n d system, end p. 7, 2n d system to end of page

Form: A B Coda Analysis: [D, E, F, A-flat, A, B-flat] Chords a tritone apart [A#, C#, D#] [m3, M2] Move transposed by tritone. [E, G, A]

Phrase transposed downward by perfect 4ths. This hexachord contains two tritones [D, Parody of Also Sprach Zarathustra. New fast move played ordinario, high in the A-flat] [E, B-flat]. Crumb especially register, repeated down a 4t h, dynamic emphasizes D-G# (Ab), which usually Crumb switches the chords in the piano from gradually geng soer, lower register, shorter. begins or ends a phrase, and appears on the originals. The original is a C-minor to the longer note values, with grace notes C-major; here it is F major to B-minor. The Short quote from the beginning (A), but and sforzandos to accent them. mpani notes in the original are a perfect 4t h. without singing. Here, played by muted piano they are a minor There is a dialogue between two 3r d. alternang phrases.

The only note in this secon that is not a part of the scale is one B-natural at the end of the third system, foreshadowing the next secon. Extended “Sing-flute”, with and without fluer Muted strings in piano, glissando over strings Ordinario techniques tongue, singing through the flute, inside the piano with fingerps used: pitch-bending/gliss.

VARIATIONS ON SEA TIME

Sea Theme Archeozoic Proterozoic Cello: B-lydian dominant scale: [B, C#, No definite pitch center; largely tritone [B, D, D#, E#, F#, A, Bb] D#, E#, F#, G#, A B] relaonships Six of these notes derive from the original hexachord: [D, E, F, G#,A, Bb] (original) [D#,E#, F#, A, Bb, B] Analysis: Cello move: [D#, C#, F#] has a relaonship Piano plays move [D#, F, Ab] that is connected to Movement has a definite B pitch center. with the last new move in the coda move from end of Sea Theme [D#, E#, G#] Vocalise [A#, C#, D#], same intervals. Third system, last two measures of flute, are Later transposed down by a tritone. connected to the final phrase of the Sea-Theme. Piano plays a quiet Aeolian harp effect in dialogue with the cello. Seagull effect is transposed by tritone. Music is again in dialogue, between the legato flute lines and the percussive pizzicato of the cello. Whole movement in pianissimo. Tritone relaonship between the cello (seagull) and chisel (piano) For the first me in the “VARIATIONS”, the music has a pitch center, indicang the emergence of life, Slightly louder than Sea Theme, and quicker also indicated by the voiced whisper in the flute rhythmic values, though sll very sparse. and the lively rhythms of cello. The piano is instructed to play “like a larger rhythm of nature”, as a drone in the background.

The music again has increased rhythmical values from the previous two movements. Form: One phrase in short dialogues. One phrase in short dialogues. More expansive dialogues, first movement as a whole trio. Extended Cello harmonics, “Aeolian harp” in Seagull effect in cello, Chisel-piano, wide Paperclip-piano, speak-flute, cello martellato techniques piano. vibrato effect sul poncello in cello and pizz. used:

VARIATIONS ON SEA TIME (Connued)

Paleozoic Mesozoic Cenozoic Varied pitch collecon; brief tonal centers in F, G, Eb Piano is comprised of two three-note cells [E,G,A] and [Bb, Db, E]

The flute and cello begin with the following set: [Eb, F, A, B], comprised of two tritones Analysis: Oscillang tritones echo back and forth between the piano and cello/flute The tetrachord that is found in the Chords of open 5t h + open 4t h. Recalls both Also together. The chordal tritone oscilaons are in dialogue with another flute/cello is taken from the Vocalise, four Sprach in the piano in the Vocalise, as well as the tritone figure, played by the piano, descending tritones transposed down notes from the original hexachord [D, E, piano part from the Sea theme. Chords separated by 4ths. Ab, Bb] transposed. The next set outlines by a tritone recall the major and minor chords the following notes [C, Eb, F] which is a separated by a tritone in the parody of Also The movement ends with the cello playing harmonics that outline a transposion of the three-note move. Sprach in the Vocalise. dominant 7th chord, and again transposed by a tritone. These chords are The final tetrachord is [F, G, B, C#], a the same chords the flute move that ends the Vocalise is taken from. further transposion of the inial Flute cadenza begins with rising tritones, flute/cello tetrachord. contrasted with chromac minor seconds. The Dynamics feature sudden forssimo aacks, but the overall dynamic piano part contains rapid passages constructed of remains so. Follows the paern of a surprise szforzando in the piano, The two main sources of harmonic alternang tritones in the form of the Bartok followed by so notes in the flute/cello, and later in the cello alone. material throughout Vox Balaenae are the cells, e.g. [E, F, Bb, B] hexachord and the three-note m3 M2 Rhythmically the movement again gets faster than the previous move. Here they are presented together Ulmately, the whole movement is constructed movements. for the first me. from tritones and minor seconds.

The tritone paern in the beginning can be condense to [B, C, F, F#] in the Again, the dynamic and acvity have Several moves recur from the beginning at the piano and [A, A#, D#, E] in the flute/cello. These cells are called “Bartok increased. There is a steady driving end of this variaon. Including the “mpani” cells”, as they are characterisc of the composer Bartok throughout his rhythmic pulsaon throughout. from the Also Sprach parody, glissandos on the music (for example, in his 4t h quartet. strings of the piano, the high m2 M3 three-note flute move, as well as a cello glissando figure that appears in Variaon 1 (Archeozoic).

At the very end of the variaon, whistling and use of crotales merge this variaon into the Sea-Nocturne. Extended Harmonics, pizz on strings of piano, sul poncello Glass rod over piano strings Whistling, crotales techniques used:

SEA NOCTURNE

Analysis: B-lydian dominant, and also B major.

Begins as a dialogue, like the previous variaons, but soon turns into a full trio movement.

The two low piano clusters at the end of Cenozoic connue into Sea Nocturne, further transposing downward.

The Sea theme is restated exactly at the beginning.

Each movement is marked by mbral change. Timbral changes help define the structure of the whole work. They are used to indicate new secons, and always come at key points, and are as important as any other musical element.

Moves from the Sea Theme are used to construct all the melodies.

This movement is the most dense and busy of all the movements, although it returns to a quiet character aer the climax of the last variaon. All three instruments play at the same me, both hands of the piano have different parts, bass notes plus figuraons, and the flute and cello play in canon at the octave.

On p. 14, at the end of the first system, the m3 M2 three note move is combined atop the piano figuraons, transposed to [E, G, A].

The piano figure in the last system combines both the tritone, the m3M2 (separated by a minor sixth), as well as the descending P4th from the Vocalise.

In general in this movement, Crumb synthesizes all of his techniques that were presented previously, but here they are presented in a tonal movement.

Eight moves in the piano: ● Boom of ph. 13, beginning of the last system, glissandos. ● Boom of pg. 13, end of last system, quintuplet pentatonic scales with pizzicato bass. ● Top of pg. 14, end of first system, grace notes. ● Top of pg. 14, end of first system/beginning of second system, figuraons combined with m3 M2 move. ● Pg. 14, second system. 3 against 2 polyrhythm; 32n d triplets against 32n ds, notes outline melody from Sea theme; flute and cello play the same theme in canon at the octave. ● Boom of pg.14, last system in the middle , tritone/m3M2 figure (first me with tritones/Bartok cells in le hand, second me with pentatonic scales). ● Top of pg.15, first system middle of the page, variaons on the m3M2 with added dissonances. ● Middle of pg. 15, glissando Aeolian harp (from sea theme) combined with minor Also Sprach chord, and “mpani” piano using harmonics instead of muted strings.

Coda combines the sea theme played by crotales and the second piano move, slowly fading out. The last gesture is performed in pantomime.

This movement does not feature mbral contrast like the previous movements. Instead it is one connuous sound, with all instruments playing, unl the coda. Form: Eight separate piano moves. The sea theme is stated and restated and varied. All previous techniques are combined, including tritones, m2M3, etc. Extended Whistling, crotales, pantomime, piano harmonics. Instruments mostly play o rdinario. techniques used: